


All my loving

by yellowdinka



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: 2000s line+Jeongin are best friends but they're just mentioned, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Attempt at Humor, Felix is non-binary in this one, First Dates, Flower Language, Fluff and Angst, Han Jisung | Han is Whipped, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Jisung is lowkey minho's sugar baby?, Lee Minho | Lee Know is Whipped, Light Angst, M/M, Meet-Cute, Minor Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin, Soulmates, Tattoos, don't mind me gushing over Minho's visuals, everyone needs a chan in their life, more fluff than I previously intended, very poorly executed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29963550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowdinka/pseuds/yellowdinka
Summary: “I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me”Minho stated with so much confidence he could have rivaled Apollo’s own cockiness.“Uh? Is this you flirting?”He uttered, taken aback. Before he could let Minho get another word in he started rambling.“Let me tell you, your strategy is even worse than my friend Felix and theirs is falling into the guys’ ams and I mean it literally, like in all those poorly-written medieval fan fictions strangers, to enemies, to lovers trope where the two main characters have so much sexual tension and so little character development you just want them to fuck and get it over with. How Felix has a boyfriend and I don’t is still one of the biggest mysteries known to mankind”“You can consider going out as in… going to places, not necessarily like a date”Jisung was still puzzled and he was sure that Minho could perceive as much by his face resembling the ones he would make in front of a physic problem during each of the tests he had failed in high school.“Places? “"I have a bucket list"Alternatively: minsung spend the day together being cute and gay (and maybe I got a bit carried away with the soulmate concept :) )
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 19
Kudos: 70





	All my loving

It was a really nice morning, that was all Jisung could think as he made his way to his favorite coffee shop just two streets away from his university. The weather was slowly getting warmer as spring came closer, but it was one of many days, forgettable. He had just given his last exam of the session the day before, so it wasn’t like he really needed the coffee as he had started his day much later than usual (though 9pm was still pretty early in his opinion) and he was only going to meet a few friends to hang out and go get lunch. Nevertheless, habits die hard and his caffeine addiction was the hardest one to kill, so he found himself in line getting his Americano as per usual.

Because he had some time to spare, he sat at a table right behind the shop window and scrolled through his socials as he sipped on his coffee, bored. Not that he minded having a little free time, he just liked to keep his mind occupied at all times. His friends had often called him a ball of energy, or stress, as Seungmin put it, because he was always moving and doing things, wether he was writing a new story, studying, working, volunteering even. He couldn’t say he was mad at the surname, but he was convinced that his energy was actually quite normal and that the others just didn’t match his intensity. Because that was also one of the things he was known for among his group, he was never wrong, or better, he would never admit that he was in the wrong. That was why scrabble had been cancelled from their board game nights, as a literature major he had a vast vocabulary to choose from that sometimes extended in a realm that could only be defined as creative liberties, which in short meant he always made up words to his liking and then refused to take them down or have them be disqualified even after a research told everyone it was gibberish. 

Just when he was putting his phone down, a notification popped up in his group chat with Felix, Seungmin, Hyunjin and Jeongin. It was the latter apologizing because he wasn’t going to make it for lunch, due to a forgotten assignment that he didn’t finish, which was due for the day after. Quickly Hyunjin and Seungmin responded, adding that they were also going to bail to spend some “quality time”. Jisung twisted his nose in disgust, those two were the most lovey dovey couple he knew and just the expression was enough to make him barf. Lastly, Felix messaged telling him they should reschedule if so many people were going to miss and Jisung disappointedly wrote “you all suck” before putting his phone back in the pocket of his big fluffy raincoat. 

When he looked up he noticed the gaze of a boy on him. He was looking at him intensely, shamelessly and Jisung wondered for a moment if he had something in his teeth or if he should start worrying. The boy didn’t make him uncomfortable though, it was just his otherworldly beauty that made him a little uneasy, a bit shy, even if he would have rather died than cower under anyone’s gaze, especially not under that wise stare that seemed to bore right into his soul. He had a mask covering half of his face, but just his sparkling eyes and his soft brown hair pushed back, told him he must have been some kind of greek god. When their eyes met, the stranger didn’t hesitate to stride forward and take a seat in front of Jisung, who could only furrow his brows in confusion as he finished the last sips of his coffee.

“What are you doing today?”

The boy began like he didn’t just approach him out of nowhere, like he didn’t appear completely out of the blue. He was sitting comfortably in the chair, with his legs spread and his back laid on the wall beside him. He had an alluring aura and Jisung couldn’t help but think that was exactly his place, even though it didn’t make any sense.

“Woah, woah, woah, what?”

Jisung exclaimed after getting over his initial starstruck state, emphasizing each word with a gesture of his hands. Despite whatever magic this guy had going on, he had to remind himself he was still a stranger.

“I asked you if you have plans for today”

He repeated calmly, as if that was a casual ice-breaker line and not what his teacher would say to the unlucky bastard who lingered too long in class before assigning him an entire book to scan for the end of the day. Jisung squinted his eyes at him and put the straw of his long gone coffee in his mouth, sucking the air obnoxiously.

“Is that a no?”

The boy asked relentless. Jisung put down the cup, still suspicious and with all the intentions to seem as standoffish and threatening as possible.

“How did you know my friends just canceled on me?”

Sung spit out with hostility, wondering if that would have put the boy off. Instead, he was sure the boy smiled under the mask, as he could see his eyes crinkling upwards.

“I didn’t know that, but I’m glad they did”

Jisung scoffed indignated and glared at him, still set on appearing scary, but quickly losing his cold facade and feeling the tiniest bit offended.

“Wow, you’re so well-mannered”

He huffed out ironically, rolling his eyes up at the sheer disrespect. The boy shook his head chuckling lightly and Jisung got even more mad, thinking that he was making fun of him. He crouched down to get his backpack and leave, but the boy must have realized then how it sounded to him and he was quick to clear up the misunderstanding.

“No, I mean, I’m glad they did because now you’re free”

Jisung shoot back up and raised an eyebrow sassily, relaxing against the backrest of his chair and raising his hands to cross them behind his neck.

“Says who, exactly? I have a very busy schedule, you know”

He clicked his tongue and hovered his gaze around the place, acting like he wasn’t interested in the conversation in the least, but with the corner of his eye he was studying the boy’s reaction, who once again seemed on the verge of a laughing fit.

“You’ve been sitting there sipping coffee for forty minutes”

Jisung almost lost his balance for the shock of having his white lie caught that quickly. He spluttered, wishing with all his might that he wasn’t turning crimson because that boy had no business making him flustered less than 5 minutes in their first conversation.

“I-I wasn’t…”

The boy laughed loudly at his poor attempt at denying the obvious and Jisung could swear the barista was eyeing them weirdly, probably because of the noise they were making, so he just sunk lower on his chair.

“Don’t be embarrassed, it was cute”

Jisung crossed his arm on his chest and grimaced at the compliment, preparing a comeback that would make him regret it.

“How would you even know that if you hadn’t been staring at me like a weirdo for that long?”

This time the boy flushed faintly, Ji could see his ears getting red and he couldn’t help his lips curving in a victorious smirk. The boy coughed to clear his voice.

“I-I’m not a weirdo”

Jisung grinned, happy to be slowly gaining the upper hand on him.

“Ok, then who the hell are you?”

The boy looked into his eyes, recovering from the embarrassment and once again petrifying him with his stare. Jisung was definitely at a disadvantage there, because there was no way he could resist that magnetic pull and he imagined just how much time it would take before the boy would realize that too and have him completely wrapped around his finger. 

“Lee Minho”

Jisung nodded, hearing the words echo in his ears. It had a nice ring to it, he had to admit.

“Ok, Lee Minho, we’ve established that I’m free and you’re not a weirdo, supposedly, so may I ask you what are you doing here?”

Minho cracked his knuckles one by one before answering him, flexing the muscles in his arms that his tight t-shirt did not make any effort to hide. Jisung couldn’t explain why that seemed like the hottest thing a human could ever do and he brushed his thumb on his chapped lips, checking if he wasn’t drooling.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me”

Minho stated with so much confidence he could have rivaled Apollo’s own cockiness. Jisung’s forehead wrinkled as he tried to process the sentence.

“Uh? Is this you flirting?”

He immediately uttered, taken aback. Before he could let Minho get another word in he started rambling.

“Let me tell you, your strategy is even worse than my friend Felix and their tactic is falling into the guys’ arms and I mean it literally, like in all those poorly-written medieval fan fictions strangers, to enemies, to lovers trope where the two main characters have so much sexual tension and so little character development you just want them to fuck and get it over with. Gosh how Felix has a boyfriend and I don’t is still one of the biggest mysteries known to mankind”

He thought out loud, making the boy chuckle softly.

“You can consider going out as in…just going to places, not necessarily like a date”

Jisung was still quite puzzled and he was sure that Minho could perceive as much by his face resembling the ones he would make in front of a physic problem during everyone of the tests he had failed in high school.

“Places? “

Minho sighed and pulled out of his jacket a piece of paper rolled on itself with a blue ribbon to keep it in place. The paper was a bit yellow, which notified how old it must have been, but it was also well-kept, almost treasured. The band was definitely of high quality as well, velvety and looking soft at the touch. It reminded him of one of those parchments he had had to study in the library for some of his most dreaded exams, he remembered how fascinated he had been by them and the sentiment was true for this one too.

“I have a bucket list”

Jisung’s curiosity peaked at that and he stretched his hand to touch it, but stopped himself because he couldn’t just be convinced that easily.

“That’s a bucket- who even makes bucket lists these days?”

It was a weak argument, but Jisung’s mind was really coming short of reasons to object to.

“I do, clearly”

Minho deadpanned without missing a bit.

“Do you want to see it or do you trust me?”

He asked nodding towards Jisung eager fingers, that were visibly inching in the parchment’s direction. Jisung closed them into fists and brought them down on his lap.

“Trust you? You don’t even know my name”

Minho shrugged as if he didn’t care about that seemingly unnecessary piece of information.

“That’s your fault, not mine”

“You didn’t ask!”

Jisung squeaked in response to his accusing tone.

“Well, if it’s so important then what is it?”

Minho said with a grin on his face, like he had just manipulated him into saying what he wanted. Jisung stared at him for a moment, before all the fight he had in him left him against his better judgement.

“Han, Han Jisung”

He admitted with a sigh and Minho smiled again, though this time it seemed more sincere and innocent, like a child that finally gets his ice cream after nagging at his mom’s side for an hour straight.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you”

Jisung scrunched his nose at how nice he sounded and pulled up an arm to tick on the table nervously. 

“I wish I could say the same, but I’m still not sure you aren’t some kind of thief who just has weird ass tactics to get me in a sinister alley and rob me”

The words had no bite to them but Minho was fed up with his assumptions, so he groaned and pulled up his sleeve, revealing a Rolex wrapped around his wrist. Before Jisung could retort that he could have stolen that too, he was shut up as Minho took his hand resting on the table and hastily tied the watch on his wrist.

“I’m letting you borrow this until the end of the day, it’s the most expensive thing I own, so you know I won’t take anything from you”

Jisung looked down at his arm, then up at Minho, in disbelief.

“You’re crazy”

“Crazy enough that you’ll spend the day with me?”

Minho asked in a hopeful tone and Jisung couldn’t contain his grin.

“Actually I think I’m the crazy one for considering this”

Minho lifted his hand in a celebratory fist and Jisung genuinely laughed at that, slowly getting comfortable in the other’s presence, almost too naturally.

“Ok, I’ll accept on one condition”

Jisung declared solemnly, putting both of his hands flat against the table.

“Shoot, I’m ready”

Minho answered quickly, afraid that he could change his mind.

“I have to ask you something first, are you sick?”

Minho shook his head vigorously.

“Oh, no, the mask is just because my face was swollen this morning”

For a moment Jisung wondered if Minho could possibly be a vampire and the mask was hiding his fangs, but then he thought he wouldn’t have been able to walk so freely in the sunlight. He was rather pale though.

“I want you to take it off, then”

He concluded, faking uninterest and Minho furrowed his brows.

“That’s your only demand?”

“It is”

“And you’ll let me drag you around the city without complaining?”

Jisung nodded having made up his mind by then.

“Shook on it?”

Minho stretched his hand and Jisung held out his cautiously, being startled by the boy’s firm handshake. Against his fingers hardened by the many years he spent playing the guitar, there was suddenly the other’s soft warm skin and he felt a bolt of electricity course through their joint hands. His eyes widened as he slowly took back his and let it fall limp along his side.

“A spark…”

He heard Minho whisper. Jisung gulped and lowered his eyes, a bit overwhelmed. He didn’t think physical contact with a stranger would make him so flustered, but if he thought that his gaze was intense, it paled in comparison to the dizzying feeling that was cursing through his body in that moment.

“Jisung”

He lifted his head up and Minho lowered his mask on his chin and grinned, winking at him. He felt struck by how handsome he looked. His nose was so perfect, with a high bridge and a tiny mole that made his features unique, his smile was truly breath-taking and he almost wanted to jump excitedly when he removed the straps from behind his ears and put it in his pocket.

“Happy, now?”

Unsure of what he would blurt out, Jisung just hummed and Minho took it as him being ready, so he got up and made his way to the door, Ji trailing behind him.

They had been walking silently for almost twenty minutes when Jisung started beatboxing, or at least, recreating what he thought was somekind of rhythm with his mouth. Minho immediately shot him an annoyed look and that just made him a little bit happier. He didn’t know what he expected from this, but it surely wasn’t to just have a healthy stroll though the city with his mouth shut, he could have done that on his own if he needed to think but it wasn't really his thing. So if Minho wasn’t going to talk, acting like a child and getting on his nerves was the next best option.

“Are you done?”

Minho asked, his voice cracking with annoyance. Jisung smirked.

“So he speaks”

Minho deadpanned and put his hands in the pockets of his long, pristine dress coat.

“You’ve already heard me talking”

Jisung frowned when he realized that his efforts didn’t really brought him anywhere, but at least he had a foot in the door now.

“Sooo, where are we going first?”

Minho snorted and slowed his step a bit so he could be on Jisung’s side.

“You said you wouldn’t ask”

Jisung pouted and glared at him, but the other boy had understood by now that there wasn’t anything menacing about him, so it wasn’t really intimidating him the way he wanted to.

“I- ok, then I’m supposed to just walk silently beside you? You're so dry, I thought this would have been more entertaining”

He asked, failing to hide his frustration. Minho stretched his arm in front of him, making him stop in the middle of the sidewalk and turned so he could look at him in the eyes.

“Jisung, do you like surprises?”

He rubbed his nape with the back of his finger sheepishly, feeling naked in front of him.

“Uhm, s-sure”

“Then let me surprise you”

Jisung’s breath hitched at his low tone and he found himself unable to respond. Minho took his silence as a yes, so he started walking again. 

“We can talk if the silence is uncomfortable for you, though”

Minho added, seeing that Jisung seemed still a bit tense. Jisung felt a wave of relief wash over him and smiled a little as he shook his head.

“It’s not that it’s uncomfortable, I just- I like it better when my mind is occupied”

Minho hummed and looked up at the sky as if he was thinking about something and asking higher powers for an answer.

“You don’t like being alone with your thoughts?”

Jisung squinted his eyes at how quickly he read through him. It was on him for being honest so soon.

“Nor do you if you’re so desperate for company you are willing to ask a complete stranger to tag along for the day”

Minho chuckled at him being so defensive.

“I know, but I don’t have any trouble admitting to it, unlike you it seems”

Jisung shrugged as if he didn’t just take another hit at his pride.

“Talking about over thinking doesn’t really distract me from it”

He muttered, wishing they would change topic.

“Well you can’t always run away from problems, can you?”

Jisung bit his lips and didn’t answer, which didn’t seem to bother Minho as he looked for a moment at a map on his phone and stopped in front of a sketchy alley.

“You know, our pact doesn’t stand if you’re actually going to kill me”

Minho rolled his eyes and gripped his sleeve to take him with him.

“I’m not going to kill you, if you were quiet just for a second you’d hear the noise”

Jisung scrunched his forehead and looked around confused.

“What noise?”

At the end of the alley there was a big square filled with vintage stands and bustling with people of all sorts. Some old ladies selling colorful lacy fabrics, a stand that was surrounded by trampy-looking furniture and even one that had comics so dusty they probably hadn’t been touched since the eighties.

“Is this… a flea market?”

Minho nodded excitedly and Jisung wondered if they were looking at the same place.

“Bingo! Have you ever been?”

“I mean, sure, I think I skipped once or twice with my friends and went… you didn’t?”

Minho shook his head, though that didn’t deter his enthusiasm.

“I’ve always wanted to though, seems fun”

Then he sprinted to the nearest stand and Jisung could only run after him. That one had a series of mirrors that reflected a deformed version of the person looking in them and Minho was absolutely losing it as he switched quickly from one to the other. 

“They’re real life filters!”

Jisung giggled, endeared by the scene. It was weird how Minho could go from that monster of confidence who had been able to convince him to go with him, to this innocent feverish being, that made him smile so much.

“You’re getting way too excited about a bunch of mirrors”

Minho chuckled as well and tugged him to get in the frame with him. The mirror made them look like giant balls and Minho did a twirl, acting like he was rolling around. Jisung shook his head at his antics.

“Do it again, it looks like you’re bouncing!”

Minho pointed at his reflection with his eyes wide and Jisung moved his head obediently, then he placed a hand on Minho’s head and shook it lightly. Minho acted like he was shaking and rolled his eyes so only the white could be seen.

“What are you doing?”

Jisung asked stifling back a laugh.

“I’m being electrocuted, isn’t my mime spot on?”

“Eh”

He said as he shrugged and Minho looked so offended at his poor reaction that he started cackling so hard he had to bend over holding his belly.

“You’re just jealous of my top tier acting”

“If you think that was good acting, you must have been overpraised as a child, which now makes you too cocky to see the world past your nose ”

Minho grumbled and crossed his arms on his chest, frowning deep.

“Whatever, you’re just jealous because you can’t do any better”

Jisung realized in that moment that his bluntness might have been a bit too harsh because Minho seemed to shut down, showing him a very different side from his previous excitement. He grimaced: it made him feel bad thinking that he was responsible for his sudden mood change and for some reasons he really wanted to see him smile again, so he hurried to the next mirror, which stretched his figure like a streetlight.

“Look, look, I’m taller than you!”

He stuck out his tongue at him and Minho went next to him to get into the frame.

“Not anymore”

“Uh, it was fun while it lasted”

Minho chuckled and Jisung looked satisfied at his eyes crinkling up into beautiful quarter moons.

“Jisung, do you know how to negotiate?”

He asked suddenly, as they were proceeding to the next stand.

“Uhm, what do you mean?”

“Well, I have some stuff I could sell but I want to make sure I have a good deal”

Jisung snickered and waved his hand.

“ I’m sorry but I’m the last person that could help you with that. I just promised you I would spend the day with you for free just to see your face, who did you think I was? Jordan Belfort?”

Minho laughed wholeheartedly, nodding in understanding.

“I could never picture you in the Wolf of Wall Street, but maybe I just thought you could still be good at it and I would be the exception”

He looked at him quickly with the corner of his eye, before he went back to staring at the stands.

“If anything you’re just confirming how gay I am”

Jisung nudged him with his elbow and Minho giggled, leaning a bit closer.

“Alright then, I’ll go to that stand to try and sell something, don’t run off, ok?”

Jisung rolled his eyes to the sky and took a hand to his forehead in a sloppy salute.

“Yes sir, I wouldn’t know how to find my way back either, so I don’t have much choice”

Minho squeezed his eyes into a fine line, inspecting him.

“Uhm, uhm, sure, or are you saying that just to play hard to get?”

Jisung gasped and slapped his arm playfully.

“Didn’t you have something to do?”

Minho winked at him in response before he turned his back and went to a stand, whistling on the way. Jisung, once alone, got attracted to a music stand and started looking through the vinyls. It almost felt surreal for him to be there, in the middle of a vintage market on a random Wednesday morning, with a stranger, nonetheless, looking through disks he didn’t have money to buy (though he really would have liked to), without an exact idea of where he was. It should’ve been weird, he knew it should have, but for some reasons it wasn’t. It felt like that was exactly where he was supposed to be, like he was a piece of a gigantic jigsaw falling right into place. 

His fingers halted when he saw a single he liked a lot and took it out with careful hands to examine the cover. 

“Saw something you like?”

Minho startled him, suddenly speaking up by his side, a little closer to his ear than someone who he just met should have been.

“Fuck, you scared me”

“You keep a low guard for someone who’s convinced that he will be robbed at any moment”

Jisung glared at him and went back to observing the vinyl.

“It’s 'I feel you', by the Depeche Mode”

“Uh, I’ve never heard of it”

“It’s a grunge group from the 90s”

He explained and Minho snickered quietly.

“Of course you had to be one of those alt boys that thinks music hasn’t been the same since Queen disbanded, very edgy of you”

Jisung shot him a grumpy look and passed his hand carefully on the side of the cover.

“Shut up, they’re good”

He whined and Minho smiled just a little bit brighter after that.

“So you’re buying it?”

Jisung sighed and put the disk back down.

“I wish, I just have the money for lunch”

Minho snorted and put his hands on his belly, seemingly only seconds away from toppling over.

“If you say it like that it sounds like your mother forgot to make you lunch and gave you a ten dollar bill just to not feel too guilty about her starving child”

Jisung frowned at him and squinted his eyes.

“Ya! I’ll have you know that my mother is an excellent cook and I’m not a child! Just a student, who has to keep an eye on finances”

Minho stood there silently for a moment, then he let out an huff of breath, like he just remembered something.

“Oh right, you probably support yourself too”

“Of course, it’s my third year of university, my parents just help me a bit with my students loans”

Jisung stated proudly. Minho looked down.

“So they approve?”

Jisung looked at him puzzled.

“Of what? My studies?”

Minho stared at him for a moment with an intense look, like he was inspecting if that was a code for something else, then he nodded.

“Yeah, sure, that’s what I meant”

Jisung noticed how his smile seemed to falter again. That didn’t really sit right with him.

“I know that my stunning appearance could deceive you, but actually I have a pretty respectable major”

He teased him nudging him lightly in the side. Minho’s eyes crinkled upwards.

“I would never make such an assumption”

He gasped dramatically, raising a hand to fan himself and Jisung chuckled.

“Well, I study literature, so at least the alt vibes are there”

“Really? I would’ve guessed something more related to the arts”

“Technically, writing is still an art form”

Minho smiled at his clarification.

“Is that your dream? To be a writer?”

Jisung sighed and shrugged.

“It’s difficult to make a living out of it, I’ll probably end up teaching a bunch of irritable teenagers that couldn’t care less about my subject anyway”

Minho put a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed it, trying to be comforting.

“That doesn’t matter, you shouldn’t give up on your dreams before you even tried it, or you’ll end up resenting yourself for it”

His breath hitched seeing the intense stare in Minho’s eyes, feeling shivers cursing through him just because of the light touch on his clothed skin.

“I would know”

He muttered the last part and Jisung cocked his eyebrow questioning him, but Minho just shook his head and picked up the vinyl from the rack.

“What are you-“

Minho stopped him with a gesture of his hand and payed before handing the disk back to Jisung, who looked at it rather confused.

“Why did you do that?”

“Can’t I just be a nice person?”

Jisung pursed his lips in thought. 

“You could, or you could be flaunting you rich guy persona like before”

Minho rolled his eyes and chuckled.

“Believe what you will”

They looked around some more until Minho asked to look at his watch and made them walk back to the main street.

“I’m guessing we’re going to the next destination?”

Jisung asked, they had only exchanged a few words since they left the market and he was beginning to miss the conversation.

“Correct”

“A hint?”

Minho laughed lightly and shook his head.

“I don’t know how much I can tell you without giving it away”

Jisung crossed his arms on his chest.

“Come on! Do you want me to take a blind guess? I’ll annoy you into telling me”

“I’d love to see you try”

Jisung cocked an eyebrow upward and crunched his knuckles, taking it as a challenge.

“Ok, then let’s do this, I’ll ask you something and you can just say yes or no, so it’ll be impossible for me to actually know where we’re going”

Minho side eyed him, unconvinced.

“Why do I have the feeling you’re not really a fair player…”

Jisung shrugged and put on his most angelic smile.

“Don’t know, I’m the portrait of innocence”

“Yeah, if innocence had two horns and a pitchfork”

Jisung stuck out his tongue at him and then proceeded to look at him with a pout he hoped looked cute and pleading eyes. Minho sighed, clearly giving in to his request.

“Fine, ask away”

Jisung clapped his hands in excitement, beaming and almost missed the shine in Minho’s eyes while he was looking at him.

“Yey! Ok, so… are we going to a clay place?”

Minho arched an eyebrow in sheer confusion.

“Like the ones where you mold vases, mugs and shit like that”

Minho snickered, covering his face with his hands for the sudden outburst.

“Is there even a place like that here? Why would I bring you there?”

Jisung shrugged and pointed a finger at him as he answered.

“Of course there is, you’re just too wrapped up in your own bubble to see it and I don’t know, maybe you are a big fan of ‘Ghost’ and have a really specific sexual phantasy that involves clay and Patrick Swazye”

Minho shot him a disgusted look.

“Absolutely not, I have taste and I think lesbians are more into pottery anyway”

Jisung pursed his lips in thought, then agreed muttering.

“Uhm, true that. Next question, is the next stop a museum?”

Minho shook his head.

"Can you at least tell me if I'm close?"

“Cold"

Minho eloquently said as Jisung shot him an pleading look, trying to get more information out of him.

"How cold?"

"Freezing north pole water cold, the penguins are smiling and waving at you”

He finally conceded exasperated.

“Aren’t they in the south pole?”

Minho lifted two fingers and pointed them to his own eyes before redirecting them to Jisung’s.

“Depends on your perspective”

“No, I think the cardinal points aren’t really up for interpretation”

“Shakespeare you disappoint me, shouldn’t you be the king of interpretation?”

Jisung scrunched his nose to express his disagreement.

“Not really, literature focuses a lot on personal impressions and opinions, but I like the fact that there are still certainties, fixed points in our reality that help us navigate the irrational of life, like lighthouses for ships trying to go back to land”

Minho went silent, mouthing slightly his phrase as he reflected on it.

“So what is your lighthouse?”

“My friends, my family, the people I know we’ll always put up with my shit, you know?”

Minho was looking down at his feet, but he gave him a nod to show that he was listening.

“And then basic things like that the sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, or that the sphere is round or that 1+1 equals 2”

“You have faith in the universe”

Minho murmured, finally looking up at him again. His eyes had such a profound sorrow in them he felt the sudden need to hug him. The rest of his body language hid pretty well the mood shift, but Jisung had been so enthralled by his irises he noticed anyway. He didn’t understand how his words could have affected him to that point and felt guilty for doing that to him.

“I envy that about you”

Minho said in the same tone before looking away again and recomposing himself in his friendly manner. Jisung inhaled deeply, trying to dissolve the nod he felt tighten in his throat.

“Uhm, is the place we’re going to inside the city?”

Minho nodded cautiously.

“Of course, I guessed you wouldn’t trust a stranger to bring you in a secluded place in the middle of nowhere”

Jisung hummed in thought and beat two fingers against his lips out of habit.

“Yeah, that could be the beginning of a horror movie…”

“When do you think you’d get killed?”

Jisung scrunched his forehead in confusion.

“I mean in a horror movie, when do you think you’d die, what’s your order?”

Minho gestured as he explained better.

“Uh, I’m not really sure I fit the criteria, ‘cause it’s usually the random guy that’s most likely a stoner who dies first, then the couple, then the hot girl, then the nerd and the final girl… maybe the random guy, but I’d accept only if it was revealed in the end that it was a plot and he was actually the killer”

“That’s actually not a bad story, you know?”

Jisung grinned and pointed at himself proudly.

“I do, literary major, remember?”

Minho rolled his eyes.

“Of course, then tell me, where do I fit in the order?”

“Third kill, duh”

Jisung said carelessly as he tried to make out their surroundings, because Minho had so easily shifted his initial purpose from the conversation he lost track of where they were going.

“Are you saying I’m hot?”

Minho grinned cockily, brushing a hand through his hair. Jisung could only look at him bewildered. Fucking hot people, that was so rude and the main reason why they could never be trusted.

“I think the proper term would be implying it, but I’m guessing you’re used to people telling you that anyway”

Minho shook his head slowly.

“Not from cute boys like you”

Jisung stopped and turned completely towards him, taken aback at the compliment. Minho smirked at him, though he could see a little red coloring his ears. He didn’t know what to say, he just kept staring into Minho’s eyes as he looked right back at him. 

“We’re almost there”

He whispered softly as he took a step back and resumed walking. Jisung blinked, wondering if he had just dreamt that moment. He took a deep breath and then stumbled after Minho.

They halted in front of a nice brick building this time, the entry had a colorful sign hung over it, but Minho pushed Jisung inside before he could read it. A bell rang as they came in and seeing all the animal pictures in the room, Jisung immediately got where they were.

“Is this a shelter?”

Minho nodded excitedly and asked the person at the front desk if they could play with the puppies for a while. She ushered them to the back and looked at the cages, deciding who she should bring out.

“Do you want kitties or puppies?”

“Kitties”

Minho immediately answered before she could even finish, Jisung snorted at that. Minho turned to him kind of embarrassed.

“Oh, I’m sorry I should have asked you first”

Jisung shook his hands and grinned at him.

“It’s fine, I like both, also it’s your day more than mine”

Minho frowned and Jisung couldn’t help but think it didn’t compliment his features in the slightest, but it still looked incredibly cute. 

“But I want you to have fun too”

“I will, don’t worry, I-I am actually”

Ji admitted reluctantly. Minho bit his lip and looked down, but he could still see he was smiling and it warmed his heart that it took so little to make him happy. The girl came back with three cats and let them in a space where they had toys to make them play with. If he thought Minho was shining before, by now he was absolutely glowing, as Jisung observed him pet the orange fur of the nearest cat. He went to pet the grey one beside him, who didn’t have such an enthusiastic reaction and adverted his touch. Minho chuckled behind him.

“You have to gain his trust first, Jisung”

He explained, his tone amused, though still soft. Jisung stretched a hand towards the other cat present, who had black smooth fur and yellow eyes that seemed like they could pierce his soul. The cat smelled it for a while, then he circled around him a few times before allowing him to caress him gently.

“Look Minho, he likes me!”

He whisper-shouted excitedly trying not to scare him away. Minho, who had the orange cat settled in his lap by then and was playing with the grey one sent him a smile.

“You’re doing great”

Jisung petted the animal for a while, then his attention was again captured by Minho, who seemed so in his element he almost felt like he was intruding a moment. The cats purred and fought for his caresses. They adored him so much already he thought he looked like a prophet spreading his message of love into the world. 

“How are you so good with them?”

He lifted his gaze to look him in the eyes, his lips curling a bit to the left side, though it seemed more nostalgic than cocky.

“ I’ve had a few since I was little, I used to spend so much time with them I called them my brothers”

His smile had turned bitter and Jisung knew he probably shouldn’t pry, but he had always been too curious for his own good and it was hard to contain himself when the man in front of him intrigued him so much.

“Used to? What happened to them?”

Minho looked at him confused and blinked twice before realization hit him.

“Oh, oh no, they’re more than fine, or at least, they were when I said goodbye to them”

Jisung scrunched his forehead.

“Goodbye? Do your parents live far away? You know the city pretty well to be an outsider”

Minho seemed hesitant to respond, he closed and opened his mouth a few times, but nothing came out of it. Jisung understood he had struck a nerve and instinctively reached for him and put a hand on his arm. So that was what he said wrong before.

“You don’t have to answer me, really I’m like a child dolphin who puts his snout on his friends’ asses to see if they smell the same as his, you know, dumb and inappropriate”

Minho smiled a little, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m sorry if I crossed a line”

Minho sighed and before Ji could pull it away he grabbed his hand with his own, squeezing it gently.

“It’s ok, it’s just… our relationship is a bit strained at the moment and I don’t know when I’ll see them again”

“Your parents or the cats?”

Jisung joked, trying to cheer him up. Minho looked at him disbelief, but then he chuckled as he shook his head.

“Both, but to be honest I care more about the cats”

Jisung could see that that was only a half truth, but he decided he had done enough snooping in Minho’s personal business and tried to focus back on the cat he was petting. After all they were still strangers, just two random people spending the day together. He shouldn’t feel so at ease with him, he shouldn’t be so curious about him, so eager to read through his mysterious aura and his strange behavior. But he did and he couldn’t help staring as Minho whispered praises to the cats as they purred at him happily.

After a while his legs was beginning to lose sense in his legs and got up after putting gently the black cat off of his lap. He stretched a bit and Minho looked up at him.

“Are you bored? I’m sorry I got caught up with them”

Jisung waved his hands signaling that it wasn’t a problem.

“It’s ok, I’m not, my legs were just cramped”

Minho nodded and shot him a smirk.

“I see, maybe I could massage them to help you feel better?”

Jisung blushed slightly and looked up to avoid Minho’s playful smirk. Damn it, that caught him off guard.

“Not in front of the kitties!”

Minho laughed wholeheartedly and got up to get closer to him. 

“That was PG flirting, I’m sure they can handle it”

“Well, I can’t”

Jisung mumbled as he blushed a little. Minho giggled and petted the cats goodbye before the girl came back to take the kitties back to their cages and the two of them went out again. When they were in the street, Minho immediately took his hand and started guiding him with a certain rush in his step.

“Woah, whah, woah, do you have an appointment or something?”

Minho shot him an apologizing smile, but didn’t let go.

“Actually yeah and I lost track of time a bit”

Jisung furrowed his brows, puzzled.

“Are you taking me to your doctor?”

“What? No! Why would you think that?”

Minho laughed as they stopped at a red light.

“I don’t know! You said you have an appointment, you did a list of things you want to do, like you’re about to do something life-changing or, shit, it’s not your birthday today, is it?”

“It’s not and I don’t have a terminal disease, in case that’s what you were trying to imply”

Jisung rubbed his nape, embarrassed.

“I was just trying to figure you out”

Minho looked at him intensely.

“Your mind really overworks itself”

“Huh?”

Minho smiled amused and pulled him as the streetlight turned green.

“You’re an over thinker, so it’s probably second nature to you, but you don’t need to stress over who I am or where we’re going next, just… let it be”

Jisung looked at the trees planted at a regular distance in the side walk. He wished he had their same posture, that he was as sure of himself as they were, long and strong, standing tall and occupying his space unabashedly. Instead he was always kind of lost and his mind would always run at a hundred miles without giving him time to breath. He tried to hide that from others, but Minho had so easily saw right through him and he felt helpless in front of him. The only thing he could do not to feel cornered, was retort with a joke.

“And here I was thinking you didn’t know shit about music”

Minho shrugged, ignoring the fact that he was the one deflecting the conversation now.

“You underestimate me then, Jisung”

He didn’t have time to answer though, because Minho made them halt in front of a shop that had Jisung almost toppling over when he realized exactly what it was. 

“What the fuck are we doing at a tattoo parlor?!”

Minho cackled and reluctantly disentangled their hands to push the door.

“Getting a tattoo, duh”

Jisung looked wide eyed at the space as he made his way inside. The pictures, the neon lights, it fascinated him and scared him at the same time. When he looked at his side, Minho was already speaking to the woman at the front desk and Jisung approached them.

“And we have these books that you can look through if you’re still undecided as to what you want to get”

She gave them two big folders and Jisung and Minho took one each and started going through them in awe. He stopped when he saw between the flowers one that particularly impressed him.

“Minho”

He called softly and the other immediately lifted his gaze to look him in the eyes. Jisung excitedly pointed at the drawing in the book and he saw Minho’s eyes glimmer as he took the book from him to observe it.

“It’s beautiful”

Jisung nodded, unconsciously closing the space between them to keep looking at it. Minho turned his head towards him, as if struck by a sudden idea and the haste of the movement made Jisung turn too, their eyes locking, faces only inches apart from one another.

“Do you want to get it with me?”

He whispered breathlessly. Jisung’s eyes widened.

“That’s crazy”

He said hesitantly, still not backing down, not breaking eye contact. 

“I think you already said that”

Minho’s warm breath caressed his face and he was the first to let his gaze wonder, but only to look swiftly at his lips before taking a step back.

“Look, I know it’s insane, you don’t have to-“

“I’ll do it”

Jisung cut in before he even realized he was doing it. Seeing the smile form on Minho’s lips was worth it. 

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to regret it, I don’t want to have a bad influence on you”

Jisung shook his head smiling, getting more and more convinced by the minute.

“You’re not, I’ve wanted to get one for a while actually, I just never got around it. I feel like in some way you’re pushing me to be a better version of myself… if anything”

Minho’s grin grew bigger at that.

“You know, maybe meeting you was fate”

Jisung chuckled, though he secretly agreed. He had been thinking about that for a while actually.

“Or maybe we knew each other in another life”

Minho’s eyes shined again, reflecting that bright spark that reminded him of a starry night.

“Wait that just gave me an idea, what if we added a red string to the flower?”

Jisung looked at him in confusion.

“The red thread of fate, they say it ties two people together so they are fated to meet in the walk of life. The string can stretch or tangle, making harder for them to find, but it can never break, so no matter what they’re differences are, how far apart they live, or their backgrounds, they’ll eventually encounter each other”

He suddenly remembered his grandmother vaguely mentioning to him a similar legend.

“You mean the one who ties two people pinkies? Isn’t that the one about-”

“Soulmates?”

Minho finished for him and he cleared his voice while Jisung scratched his nape with one hand sheepishly.

“I like the idea”

He said in a low tone, like he was confiding him a secret. Minho shifted closer to him. The air felt electric as their bodies progressively gravitated towards each other. Jisung felt out of breath, like he had been running a marathon and his heart was beating so loudly he could feel it in his ears. 

“Do you… believe in soulmates?”

They were so close he could faintly feel the hot breath against his cheek, he looked up at him, enchanted, so lost in his gaze he almost didn’t hear it when the girl came back. They instantly jumped apart, startled by her. She unsuccessfully tried to hide a smirk, catching them like that, but soon she recollected and told them it was a slow day, so luckily they had space for Jisung to get a tattoo as well. She ushered them inside the studio, where another girl was waiting for them.

“Hi, have you decided what you want to get?”

Minho showed her the drawing in the folder.

“And I wanted to add a red string tangled on the stem that fades towards the left”

“And the same for me, but to the right”

Jisung chimed in. The girl smirked as she took the tools she needed.

“Oh, you chose the anemone, you definitely have taste, it’s one of my favorites drawing in the folder. Where did you want to get it?”

Jisung seemed still undecided, so Minho spoke first.

“On my shoulder” Minho stretched his arm over his left shoulder and pointed at it “here”.

The girl nodded, then looked at Jisung expectantly.

“On my arm” 

He stretched his fore arm out and pointed to the spot right over his wrist, where the veins showed a little.

Minho’s eyes perked up.

“Are you sure you want it so… noticeable?”

Jisung smiled wide and nodded.

“Of course”

The girl cleared her voice and gestured to the chair to keep things moving.

“Who wants to go first?”

“Me”

Minho confidently took a sit and he was almost too quick to get rid of his t-shirt, leaving a gaping Jisung staring at him. Not time could have prepared him for this though, so his reaction would have probably been the same even if he had taken his time to strip, arguably it would have probably been worse. Jisung blushed harder at the thought, even if his gaze lingered on the beautiful straight lines of his abs, on the flexed muscles in his arms and his tough-looking pecs. 

The girl chuckled seeing his reaction, then whispered to him.

“You may want to pick your jaw off the floor before he notices”

Jisung looked down, flustered, and she returned serious while cleaning the skin where Minho wanted the tattoo, unfazed. Jisung took a deep breath before locking eyes with Minho again, who had definitely seen his response as well and was smirking cheekily.

The girl told him to shift a little so he could be more comfortable and Jisung was definitely grateful for that because now his chest wasn’t so visible, so the risk of fainting was reduced to a minimum, but he could still look at his defined back without worrying about being caught. When the needle first came in contact with the skin, Minho hissed in pain. Jisung noticed he was gritting his teeth, so he left his perfect spot to get closer to him and he kneeled to face him.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

Minho hummed, his eyes shut, clearly trying to focus on something other than the sting. Jisung intertwined their fingers gently, brushing a thumb on his hand, soothingly.

“You can squeeze if you need to”

Minho smiled at him briefly, thankful. He gripped his hand tightly at first, trying to focus on the touch rather than the pain, but after a while he got used to it and loosened his grip a little, not letting go of him.

When she finished she took out a mirror for him to take a better look. Jisung couldn’t help but think it was so pretty on him, like it had always belonged there, the lines of the drawing were delicate just like Minho’s features and the beaming look on his face when he saw the tattoo was simply breath-taking. 

“Thank you so much, I love it”

Minho said, almost moved. Jisung was really tempted to touch the red skin surrounding it, to feel it burn against the tip of his fingers, but held out because he didn’t want to hurt him, or embarrass himself further.

“It- uhm, it really suits you”

Minho grinned, confidently and moved his shoulders a little to release the tension that had created there.

“I know”

Jisung rolled his eyes and Minho chuckled, putting his hands on Sung’s shoulders.

“Now come on, it’s your turn”

He pushed Jisung to sit on the chair, making him fall on the black leather, which he really shouldn’t have found so hot in that situation, but his containment was growing weaker and weaker the more time he spent with Minho and he could only control his instincts so much. Jisung rolled his sleeve to expose his right forearm, focusing his energies on that. The girl cleaned the skin and immediately got to work. Jisung almost screamed both in surprise and pain, not expecting the needle so soon.

“Shit, this actually hurts”

Minho giggled and took his left hand, standing next to him.

“Why did you think I was gripping you so tight?”

“I don’t know maybe you just wanted to hold my haAAAA”

He shouted again and Minho tried to held back his laughter, but Jisung could see he was very amused at seeing him in pain.

“This isn’t funny Minho”

He whined, Minho’s eyes softened and he let his other hand graze gently over his back, in what he probably thought was a soothing movement, but it had quite the opposite effect, making him shiver and squirm, finding it hard to stay still.

“You say that, but you aren’t seeing your face right now”

Jisung pouted, his eyes watering. He shut them, feeling pretty dumb to be having such a vulnerable moment in front of them.

“You’re an ass, I let you block my circulation and you’re not helping me at all”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry”

Minho said as he pressed a feather-like kiss on his hand. Jisung opened his eyes again to watch him detract elegantly and his heart skipped a beat at that image. He had compared him to a god in his head, but right now he was sure he looked like a fairytale prince, kissing the ugly toad, expecting him to turn into a princess, just as beautiful as him. Jisung certainly didn’t have the ability to do that, but if the neoplatonic idea that beauty elevates the soul was true, he was sure he could be deemed a higher being in comparison to the dull nothing he was before meeting him. 

“What are you doing?”

He gasped, short of breath. Minho’s firm gaze on him was keeping him in his place, which was a blessing, considering he had a needle working on his skin, but that also felt extremely intense, like he never remembered eye contact to be like.

“Kissing it better?”

He said like it was obvious. Jisung shivered under his piercing stare. The girl suddenly let go of his hand.

“There, all done”

“Already?”

Ji squeaked out, taken aback. Minho grinned cockily.

“See? I distracted you so well you didn’t even feel it”

Jisung glared at him eloquently, then he finally looked down at his arm, that he had refrained from doing while he was getting tattooed..

“Oh, it’s beautiful, you’re really good”

The girl chuckled at his amazed tone as she threw away the instruments she used on them.

“Thank you, you can step out if you want, I’ll come out soon”

Minho and Jisung went out of the room, stretching as they tried to get rid of the cramps for staying in one position for too long. Minho made him stop and took his arm with his hands, gently tracing the outline without actually touching the sore spot, admiring his tattoo like it was made out of gold.

“It looks good on you”

He whispered and Jisung could swear he felt his heart flip because of the endearment. How did a tough guy like him turned into a sob in a matter of hours?

“I know right”

Jisung said mimicking him and stuck his tongue out, because teasing was the easy way out of whatever blob of undefined emotions Minho made him feel. Min chuckled and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. The girl came out and gestured for them to go to the cashier to pay.

“You two are really cute”

She commented out of the blue as she stamped the receipt. Jisung started moving his hands frantically in front of him.

“No, no, no we aren’t-“

The girl gave him an empathetic look and interrupted him before he could explain.

“You got matching tattoos, I would be pretty dumb not to have figured it out by now, but don’t worry, you don’t have to hide it here, it’s a safe space”

“It’s not that, it’s just-“

Minho cut him off, rounding his shoulder with his arm.

“Thank you, we really appreciate it”

Jisung was taken aback, but didn’t utter another word and just waited patiently as Minho finished the payment, when they were out, he sighed heavily.

“I’m starting to feel bad about you spending so much money on me”

Minho scoffed and waved his hand like it didn’t matter.

“Don’t be, money isn’t a problem” he pointed to the covered wrist, where he had the Rolex “clearly”

Jisung frowned. It irked him that Minho would pay for all his expenses like he was doing him a service, it shouldn’t have, he should’ve just exploited him while he could, god knows he could use some extra money, but for some reasons he didn’t want them from him. 

“Ok, you don’t have to boast about it”

“I’m not, it’s not even… look, I’m just saying you don’t have to worry”

Jisung sighed harder, preparing himself to admit something the other would have endlessly teased him about.

“It’s not about that, I just don’t want to feel like you’re paying me, because…”

He interrupted himself and looked away, blushing a bit. Minho looked at him expectantly.

“Because I actually like spending time with you”

He mumbled under his breath, but Minho heard him anyway.

“I’m happy to hear that”

Jisung started walking even though he didn’t really know what their next stop was, just to not stand awkwardly next to him after he had a moment of honesty. He could imagine Minho’s irritatingly handsome grin that accompanied his words. Said man soon was at his side anyway, though he stopped when he heard Jisung’s stomach grumbling loudly. The noise made them look at each other and they started cackling simultaneously.

“If you really care about the money, you can buy me lunch”

Minho gave in, when the laughter fizzled out. Jisung cutely clapped his hands together, before doing a victory sign.

“Ah, take that rich boy!”

Minho chuckled, shacking his head in disbelief.

“Just lead the way, before I change my mind”

Jisung grinned and took his hand to run towards the nearest underground. He made them get off at the stop closer to the university and didn’t stop until they were in front of a small ramen bar, it was between a living building and a second hand shop, so nobody would find it unless they were paying close attention to it or they knew where it was, but it was really nice inside, with tables and benches made out of woods and the menus written in pastel colors and hung over the cashier.

Just as they were about to get in line, Jisung’s excitement seemed to falter.

“Uhm, I know it’s not much, but it’s one of the best places around here in terms of quality and price, plus the owners are really nice and they let me study here sometimes, even if I’m not buying much. I don’t even know if you like-“

Minho smiled as he put his hands on Jisung’s shoulder to stop his rambling, easing them to his shoulder blades.

“Sung, I’m sure I’ll love it, ok?”

Jisung just nodded, relaxing a bit and they finally ordered and went to sit down. Minho was still scanning the place with his eyes.

“You like it? For real?”

Minho hummed, folding the napkin on his .

“It’s very nice, it feels comfortable and it smells amazing”

Jisung smiled widely.

“Just wait until you taste it”

Their number was called and Jisung got un to get the food at the counter, the girl there obviously eyeing Minho and whispering something to Jisung about it. The boy flushed and left with their orders as she was still chuckling.

“Do you know her?”

Jisung grumbled as he sat back and stretched the tray towards Minho.

“Unfortunately yes, Gahyeon was already working here when I found this place and because I’m here so often we’ve become friends, which is a pain for me because she can’t stop teasing me, you two would probably get along, actually”

Minho laughed lightly.

“Probably, was she teasing you because you brought me here?”

Jisung looked down in his plate, his cheeks red.

“Kind of, she said you’re the nicest guy she’s seen me with”

Minho frowned a little.

“So you bring guys often here?”

“No, no, no! She just meant like in general, this is my place”

Minho looked at him puzzled.

“I mean that this place is so important to me it kind of feels like a second home and I don’t usually bring other people here”

“Never?”

“My friends once or twice, but only in special occasion”

Minho smiled softly, revealing a dimple.

“Thank you for sharing it with me”

“Uh, you’re welcome”

Jisung said shyly, they both started to dig in and they could hardly contain their satisfactory moans while they were eating. Soon everything was gone on the table and they were both happily sitting back on their chairs with full stomachs.

“How’d you find this place?”

“I think it was my first year and I was kicked out of the library because there was the cleaning staff, but I was pulling an all-nighter and my place is kind of far from here so I didn’t want to go back. I was wandering in the meantime before I could be let in, but then it started raining heavily and I was like ‘fuck the universe really hates me’, but then this shop was the only light I could see in the rain and it attracted me like a firefly, so I came here and it’s been my favorite place ever since”

Minho had his head between his hands, with his elbow laid on the table, a teasing smile on his face.

“Wow, like a lighthouse that guided the sailor back to land”

Jisung grinned, despite the other’s joking at his expense.

“Are you quoting me?”

“Maybe I’m just waxing poetics”

Jisung chuckled as Minho assumed a dramatic pose, touching his forehead with the back of his hand and closing his eyes, like he was character from a tragic play.

“Oh, yeah? I’d like to read it then”

“Ok, if it comes to me, I’ll show you”

He said as he recomposed himself. Jisung seemed to ponder that as he collected the utensils they used to throw them away and clean the trail.

“Alright, if you do that, I may let you read some of mine”

Minho nodded smugly.

“I’ll look forward to it, Shakespeare”

Jisung rolled his eyes at the nickname, but didn’t complain. Minho put both his palms on the table, the sudden noise startling a few other costumers.

“This was a nice detour, but now we have to go to the next location”

“Aye, aye captain”

They cleaned the rest of the table and waved at Gahyeon as they went out. This time it was Minho’s turn to lead them to a bus stop, taking a line Jisung wasn’t really familiar with, but that he knew brought them towards the periphery of the city by the names on the sign.

“The last stops are all in this area, so we can get there on foot”

Minho whispered as they took a seat on the bus. 

“Oh, is it like a special neighborhood of some kind?”

“You could say that, there’s a temporary fun fair I used to go to when I was little”

Jisung’s eyes widened.

“Are you bringing me to your special places too?”

Minho smiled and somehow their hands found their ways to one another again, even if this time they didn’t have any excuse to justify it.

“I am”

Jisung’s smile was so bright he felt his cheeks hurting, but at that point, he didn’t really care. 

After a few stops, Minho made them get off and calmly led them to a point where they could hear some loud music playing. Once there, the first thing he noticed where a bunch of screaming children running freely around the place. The colors and smells and sounds mixed together felt overwhelming and they almost gave him a headache, but before he could open his mouth, Minho was already taking him to a small white stand that had an enormous sign that read “rainbow festival” decorated in colourful stains. 

“Sir, excuse me, are there two free spots now?”

Minho asked, putting up his best friendly smile. The guy at the stand nodded and gave them a once over before bending to get two white paper like suits, plastic cover ups for their shoes and goggles. Minho handed him enough cash for two tickets and the guy pointed towards a meadow that had a few hay bales in the middle of it, explaining that was the “battlefield”. The guy gave them the key to a mini locker that was on the side of the stand and Minho immediately started throwing his belongings in there without a care.

“Minho”

He whispered, but the boy either didn’t hear him or didn’t want to.

“Minho”

He said a bit more firmly and he turned to look at him.

“Color festival? Really?”

“Come on, it’s fun! I’ve always wanted to try it!”

Jisung sighed and looked down at his dear pair of platform dr. Martens he knew wouldn’t have survived this intact.

“You could have given me a warning, you know? These are my favorite shoes”

Minho grimaced at what he saw as a well-used pair of combat boots.

“Those aren’t even legit”

Jisung squinted his eyes at him.

“Shush, they’re my children”

Minho chuckled and crouched down looking at the shoes.

“I’m sorry that you have such an apprehensive dad, girls, I’m sure you want to play too”

He talked directly to the shoes, making Jisung smile despite his restraint.

“Ugh, fine, you already paid anyway”

Jisung gave in, even though it was clear he wouldn’t have resisted him either way. He put his tote bag in the locker and the Rolex too, hiding it on the bottom of it.

They closed it and Minho took the keys, making them spin a bunch of times around his point finger, smugly. Jisung smiled at his display and proceeded to put on the covers for his beloved shoes and the suit, hoping it would repair his outfit from any damage. Before he could close it all the way, Minho stepped closer to him and brushed his hand lightly on his chin, before lifting it a bit with one of his hands. Jisung gasped softly at that, not expecting it, but before he could say anything he felt a tug on his necklace and he saw the key now pending alongside his pendant. Minho lifted his gaze to look at him.

“There, now they’re safe”

He said as he patted Jisung’s shoulder. Jisung bit his lips, terribly aware of their proximity. 

“That’s smart, but again, you could’ve asked me”

Minho smiled and shook his head.

“Nah, it’s more fun to see you blush like that”

Minho laughed at a baffled Jisung and slipped on his gear as Ji put the glasses on. After that the guy gave them both the packets of colored dust and started explaining the distance that was advised, to avoid mouth and eyes, Minho kept pinching his sides as he explained though, so none of them could keep a straight face and soon the guy sent them off with an exasperated sigh, murmuring something that awfully seemed like “worse than children”. 

Soon they were running in the field, screaming and laughing childishly, before they even started aiming at each other.There were some children that looked at them weirded out and moms standing on the side with a sour look on their faces, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Jisung felt like he was drunk, drunk on fresh bubbly champagne that made his head dizzy and light, that made him feel extremely happy, like he could touch the sky if he just stretched his middle finger a little further. Minho halted next to him, panting and Jisung stopped to look at him.

“Are you ok? “

Minho got up suddenly with a smirk on his face and threw light blue powder right in his face. Jisung luckily closed his mouth in time to see it only stained his face, but gasped as soon as he was clean enough to do so.

“Lee Minho how fucking dare you”

He said, tight lipped with a low voice, glaring. Minho just laughed in his face and Jisung, irritated, was quick to grab a hold of a green packet and threw a fist of it right in Minho’s hair.

“Jokes on you, the green makes me blend in better”

Jisung snorted at that and was about to take more green dust when with the corner of his eye he saw Minho prepare a packet of red and one of fuchsia. Immediately he started running to a hideout as he avoided the kids in his way, Minho following him, if the heavy steps behind him were anything to go by.

“Coward! You’re just putting off destiny!”

Jisung turned to stuck out his tongue at him, but regretted it soon when he saw Minho throwing the fuchsia on him, though the aim must have been a little off because it exploded on his neck and shoulders. Not only that, but he also bumped into a kid, which made him fall flat on his ass. The little boy didn’t even look back to see if he was ok and Jisung had to hold himself back from cursing a possible ten year old. Minho was snickering beside him and Jisung looked up offended.

“Hey! I could be hurt, you know?”

Minho took a few breaths before he could keep a straight face.

“I’m sorry, are you?”

Jisung massaged his lower back with a frown.

“No, I’m fine”

“Ok, then I won’t feel guilty if I do this”

Minho giggled evilly as he emptied the red packet right on his head. Jisung gaped at him.

“You play dirty, cat man”

“And you’re just dirty”

Jisung threw a blue packet at him, but Minho elegantly avoided it and offered his hand to him gallantly.

“Come on, get up before another kid runs you over”

Jisung stretched his limbs lazily and took a muse-like pose.

“You’re saying I don’t look good as a stranded siren?”

Minho scoffed and wiggled his fingers, waiting.

“With your grace, if anything you look more like a stranded seal”

Jisung frowned more and gripped his hand tightly as he got up.

“You’re mean, my hair is red, I’m Ariel spitting image”

They stood there chest to chest, looking intensely in each other’s eyes.

“According to your reasoning, I should be a branch of seaweed”

Jisung smiled and sneakily got a hold of a black packet, slapping it on Minho’s head before he could realize.

“Don’t worry, you can be Eric”

Minho, indignant, cocked his eyebrow at him.

“You’re gonna regret this”

Jisung poked at his chest teasingly.

“UUUUh I’m so scared”

Minho gripped his hand and acted like he was biting his finger, to which Jisung hastily retracted it.

“You should be, princess”

Jisung looked down, feeling his cheeks grow pink at the nickname. Wanting to distract Minho from it he reached to his pocket to take a color bomb, but he intercepted the movement and closed his hands around his hips to stop him. He tsked disapprovingly.

“Who’s playing dirty now?”

“Shut up”

He whispered weakly, as if his heart wasn’t beating like crazy in his chest at the closeness. He shook out of his grip and started running towards a hay bale and luckily a group of kids got in Minho’s way, so he had to stop for a second. Doing the most out of his current distraction, he slipped behind the bale, making himself small so he couldn’t be seen. He heard some steps in his direction and prepared the color bombs, but then they stopped and it seemed like they were going in a different way. He stuck his head out to peek if Minho actually was gone but instead he found a yellow packet right in his face. He retracted to his safe place and looked at the packet tied in his belt and the ones he still had in his pocket. They both had at least a dozen more, but Minho had almost finished the one he could reach easily, so in a close fight Jisung could have better chances. Without thinking further, he run out of his spot and started throwing blindly the packets at his opponent, getting nearer and nearer. Minho after the initial shock, responded with two pink packets, finishing the ones attached to his belt. Jisung didn’t stop and collided with him, making them both tumble to the ground. The fall was softened by the hay under them and Minho made sure to take the worst of it, keeping Jisung on top of him. 

“That worked better in my head”

He mumbled against his shoulder. Minho chuckled.

“It worked only in your head”

“At least we know the fall didn’t hurt yours because you’re still making fun of me”

“So you intended for me to fall?”

Jisung rolled his eyes at his teasing tone.

“Maybe I just wanted to knock some sense into you, because you clearly have first, reverse trust issues and second, a really poor sense of self preservation”

Minho laughed with his whole belly and Sung felt the laughter echoing in his body, infecting him too.

“You’re not wrong, but because you’ve just said it, I’m going to admit that you’re kind of squishing me now”

“Oh, shit, sorry”

Jisung spluttered as he got up on his elbow and knees, not to weigh on him too much, but ending up straddling him in the process. Minho’s eyes on him tuned even more piercing if it was possible and Jisung felt his cheeks heat up once again under his gaze. He gulped, unable to look away because of the palpable tension that had created between them and Minho lifted a hand to brush a strand of his hair behind his ear, that had previously shielded partially his eyes from the direct contact. He felt a pull towards him, a connection he couldn’t really explain and it was absurd to feel something so intense for someone that he hadn’t even spent 24 hours with. Instinctly he closed his eyes and leaned in, but before their lips could touch the voices of some screaming children made them shriek and pull apart.

They got up and inadvertedly got involved in a fight with said kids that left them a lot more colorful than before and made them finish their packets. As they headed back to the locker, Jisung couldn’t stop laughing at Minho’s face stained white.

“Sung, would you stop?”

Jisung kept snickering, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

“I can’t, I’m sorry, it looks so much like jizz”

Minho rubbed his temple, exasperated with his antics.

“You have the humour of a tenth grader”

Jisung took off his necklace and tuned the keys to grab their things. Minho started unzipping his now not so white suit.

“Wait! No, no, wait”

Minho froze and cocked his brow at him.

“What?”

“We should take a picture”

Minho’s frown only got deeper.

“Are you saying this because of the cum stain?”

Jisung shook his hands in front of him.

“No, no, I swear I don’t want to make fun of you”

The corner of his lips quirked up into a smirk.

“Oh, so you want a picture of me? Jisungie, you could’ve just asked me for my instagram”

Jisung whined and took his phone from the locker.

“ I just want one for memories! Don’t flatter yourself”

Minho giggled and pinched his cheek lightly.

“Aww baby, don’t cry, I was just kidding, take the picture come on”

Jisung brushed his hand off, though by his smile it was clear it didn’t bother him and finally he lifted his phone as Minho shifted a bit closer, leaning his head on his shoulder. They took a bunch of pictures, some stupid with their eyes out of focus and tongues out, Minho ruined some with a disgusted grimace and when Jisung smiled with v sign Minho lifted his hand in a fist, acting like they were playing rock paper scissor. In the last one Jisung made a kissy face and Minho jokingly put his cheek against it, giggling like a schoolgirl after the shot. Some people were looking at them with their suits in hand, clearly waiting for them to clear out to get changed so they took them off quickly and grabbed their stuff. Jisung gave back the keys and put the watch back on, although it seemed stupid to keep it now that he didn’t believe Minho would rob him and leave him in his boxer on the corner of a country road.

It wasn’t that late in the afternoon, but the sun was setting down and the fair looked prettier with the orange and golden hues lighting it. As they were walking he looked at Minho and he thought he also looked amazing in this light, even if he did before too. It was really frustrating how much it complimented his perfect side, his long eyelashes and his rosy plush lips that he definitely was stealing too much glances at. 

“If you’re done staring at me, we can go to the next destination”

Jisung’s eyes went wide like a deer caught in headlights and Minho let out a snort at that. He nudged their shoulders together as he nodded towards the direction they should take.

“Don’t worry, I don’t mind”

Jisung smiled, but it died down quickly when they ended up in front of the ferris wheel. He looked up at Minho and he was sure he seemed like a cat who had just been drenched in frozen water, but his crippling fear overwhelmed his wish to look attractive.

“You want ride that?”

He said, his voice reaching an higher pitch as he spoke. Minho nodded, though he himself didn’t look too sure.

“Yeah, you d-don’t want to?”

He stuttered a little. Jisung pondered for a moment if he should let his fear take the best of him and possibly let Minho slip through his hands just now that it got exciting or pull through. Knowing already that it wasn’t a good idea and that he would regret it, he answered shakily.

“Oh, no, of course I want to!”

Minho’s grimace couldn’t be defined as a happy one but nonetheless they both walked to the stand and got tickets for a ride. Praying gods he didn’t even believe in, Jisung stepped on the carriage and soon Minho was next to him, shifting a bit between his feet before sitting down. Both of them trembling like leaves. 

When the cabin started going up, Jisung squeaked and gripped Minho’s arm tightly. 

“Oh no, oh no, oh no”

Minho looked at him worried.

“Are you alright?”

Jisung bit his lip and closed his eyes shut.

“Ugh, you’re going to laugh in my face”

“I mean, haven’t I already done that?”

Jisung sighed exasperated. 

“I hate you, I-I’m afraid of heights”

Minho blinked twice, then he started cackling uncontrollably.

“See, I told you you would have laughed”

Jisung crossed his arms on his chest with a pout and turned to look at the skyline, which wasn’t really a good choice because it gave him vertigo and he thought he was gonna throw up for a moment. He was saved by Minho, taking his face in his hands gently to make him look at him.

“I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing at me, because I’m afraid of heights too”

“WHAT?! And you chose to get up here anyway? This makes me question all those hours I was convinced you weren’t a psycho”

“Well, I put it in the list because I wanted to get over my fear and then I thought it would be-“

He cut himself off, biting his lips. Jisung looked at him confused.

“It would be what?”

“Kind of.. romantic?”

Jisung smiled widely, giggling a little.

“You’re so dumb”

He said sweetly and Minho grinned right back at him, though his ears had become kind of red.

Feeling the moment was right, Jisung decidedly leaned in with his eyes close, but this time they were interrupted by a slight shock of the cabin that made them jump like two scaredy cats.

“I take it back, this is just terrifying”

Minho said as he kept his eyes closed and his knuckles turned white from how hard he was holding on to his seat. Jisung was in a similar position, though he was clutched on one of Minho’s arm.

“Yeah, let’s not do this again, ever”

“Agreed”

As soon as the carriage stopped at the end of the ride they run for their life and when their feet touched the ground Jisung almost wanted to bend down and kiss it for the relief. Minho shared a similar sentiment, panting like he had just been running a marathon.

“It’s a pity though, I wanted to see the sunset with you”

Minho said, once he caught his breath. Jisung smiled softly and naturally slipped his hand in his. 

“It’s better to see it on the beach anyway”

They strolled calmly in the grey-purple haze right before the blue would take over the sky, watching as the lights turned on one by one and the stands started closing up. Without even realizing it it was already evening and Jisung thought that time really flew that day.

“Do you like it a lot? The sea?”

Jisung smiled and nodded.

“My grandparents live on the seaside and when I was little I would always go there all summer, I have some of my best memories there, like when I caught a jellyfish and it stung me and my grandma made me fried squid to cheer me up, or the time I tried surfing and I was so scared to fall off the board I couldn’t get up and my friend had to come get me with a canoe, or when I had my first crush for a boy and it was this hot lifeguard-“

Suddenly he interrupted himself and turned to see the fond stare Minho was giving him.

“I’m oversharing, aren’t I?”

Minho shook his head, smiling still.

“I like to hear about you”

Jisung looked down, flustered and chuckled.

“I wanted to go back there, this summer I mean, maybe you could come with, you know, so I can thank you for today”

Minho laughed and didn’t meet his eyes.

“I thought you were doing me a favor”

“Yeah, I used to think that too, but now it feels like you did me one”

Minho huffed lightly and threaded their fingers together.

“Come on, the day isn’t over yet”

Quietly they made their way out of the fair, leaving behind the cheerful noises to step in the residential area. Jisung observed that the neighborhood looked way nicer than his own, even the ones he used to live in with his parents. It was a weird place to be in, because it was the kind that doesn’t really have anything if not for the people, probably mostly families about to eat dinner and go to sleep. He looked at the dark blue sky, but because the street was so well lit, he could hardly see any spark.

Minho stopped at one anonymous house, white, big, with two lights on. Jisung looked at the ringtone and that was just as boring, except for a black angry line that had crossed out a name. Minho brought a finger to his lips, signaling him to stay silent and fumbled slightly with the keys before opening the outer gate and slipping in the darkness of the frontyard, bringing Jisung with him. Sure on his feet, he took him to the back, where now he could see the first thing that set this house apart from the others, there was, in fact, some sort of shed, painted in light blue. He wondered if it was this well hidden exactly for that reason, not to stand out. The houses looked all so similar and homologated and that felt eerie to him for some reasons, each one of them putting up an unreachable standard for the people who didn’t belong there.

Minho opened the door with practiced hands, like it wasn’t the first time he’d done this completely in the dark and Jisung had questions, but he kept quiet. Even if this environment was clearly familiar to him, Minho looked extremely nervous, out of place. He could tell by his hand sweating a bit in his, or the way he kept switching his weight on his feet, like he did before getting on the wheel. Inside, the shed looked like a tiny apartment, with a camping fridge set on the side and a made bed that occupied one wall, a desk and a chair on the opposite side and a small wardrobe, from which Minho pulled out something that looked like a basket. The place was very plain and if he had had to guess he would never have imagined it was Minho’s but it definitely looked lived in and kind of cozy. Minho put something else in the basket, taking out boxes from the fridge.

“Hold this”

He whispered as he handed Jisung the bag. Then he went under the bed and took out an old suitcase with three locks. Still dead silent, he picked it up and went out with Jisung, murmuring something that sounded like goodbye. They went the same way back and Jisung by now felt almost scared to break the silence that settled between them. Minho had left the gate open, so they easily sneaked out. He gave a last, longing look to the lights inside the house and closed it softly.

Then he continued to the end of the street like nothing happened.

“I can hold it now, if it’s heavy for you”

Jisung shook his head, gripping the basket tighter to his chest.

“Absolutely not, I’m assuming this is dinner, so the least I can do is sacrifice my arm for the cause”

He did an exaggerated movement of showing off his muscle, flexing it and Minho’s lips tugged slightly upwards, though the look in his eyes remained sad and stifling. As they walked they left behind the illuminated houses, that were replaced by empty crops. Minho led them up a lonely, oddly placed hill, that Ji wouldn’t have expected to find there, but then again he didn’t really now how much time they had been walking, and hey could have been near the countryside by then.

Jisung started spontaneously whistling an old Beatles song he couldn’t remember the name of and that seemed to wake Minho from his trance, right when they were already on top of the altitude, under a big oak, the only thing that stood in the empty land. 

“This is the last step for today, it was supposed to be the final big surprise, but I probably gave it away already”

Jisung smiled glad to hear him talking again.

“Picnic under the stars? “

Minho nodded sheepishly and took the basket from Jisung, taking a tablecloth out of it.

“Help me?”

He asked in the sweetest tone and Jisung gleefully took one end of it to unfold it and Minho the opposite. Jokingly, Jisung tugged a bit on his side, which made Minho stumble a little, then he shrugged it hard to get revenge on him, but Jisung was still able to clutch it in his hands, not letting go of it, keeping his balance. They spread it out on the grass and Jisung sat on it crossing his legs, while Minho took his shoes off to get more comfortable.

“Ew feet”

Minho chuckled at his disgusted tone.

“You’re telling me you aren’t into it? Shame”

He joked and Jisung grimaced at the thought. 

“I’m sorry you’ll have to find another stranger to satisfy your weird fetish”

“Han Jisung are you kinkshaming me?”

Jisung winked confidently.

“You betcha”

They both cackled at that and Minho retrieved the basket to take out a bunch of boxed food, chopsticks and a bottle of soju.

“Wow, have you cooked all of this yourself?”

Minho nodded proudly, opening the bottle with his teeth.

“They’re all my favorite recipes, ribs, tuna sandwiches, tteokbokki and kimbap. Some I’ve stolen from my nana, some I’ve looked up, but I wanted to learn so I thought it would be good practice to make a banquet”

Jisung grinned, amazed at the familiar smells and the man in front of him.

“Fuck, you’re really boyfriend material”

Minho giggled and passed him a few packets.

“Try it before complimenting me, or I’ll feel worse if it disappoints you”

Jisung didn’t need to be told twice and started to dig in happily. He almost moaned at the taste, but he choked when he saw Minho look at him expectantly as he was eating. He patted his back, trying to help him and Jisung finally swallowed, taking a breath.

“Is it that bad?”

“No, no, no, it’s great! I just- you were watching me”

He mumbled a bit with his words, dazed by the lack of oxygen and Minho’s gaze still set on him.

“Oh, sorry, so you really like it?”

Jisung took a rib with his chopsticks and made a flying noise heading it towards Minho’s mouth, who humored him in his game and opened it, his eyes going wide when he started chewing it.

“Oh god, this is actually good, Sung, I can cook!”

He shouted excitedly and Jisung felt himself melt at his joy.

“I think I’ll have to ask you for some private lessons, chef”

Minho smirked and got closer, invading his personal space effectively, even if by then they kind of had been doing it the whole day.

“Is this an official proposal?”

“It depends, have you brought dessert?”

Minho chuckled and retrieved a box that contained Bungeoppang.

“Who do you take me for?”

Jisung squeaked gleefully and resumed eating, emitting elated sounds from time to time and commenting on Minho’s cooking. When they had opened the sweets, Jisung stared for a second too long, with his forehead furrowed and Minho raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“You’re an enigma Lee Minho”

Minho smiled, though sadly.

“It’s ironic that you say that, because I’ve never been truer to myself than I have today”

Jisung nodded I thought.

“Do you usually hide who you are?”

Minho chuckled bitterly.

“You don’t know the half of it”

Jisung hummed and stopped mid bite to look him in the eyes.

“Why?”

Minho sighed as if the facade he created was beginning to crumble.

“Survival”

He said simply and Jisung thought he could see for a moment the immense weight Minho held on his shoulders. He caressed his hand softly, brushing it through the maroon locks, waiting for him to elaborate but also, just wanting to comfort him. Minho stayed silent, he seemed so weak in his hold, like he had been suffering for so much and only then it was fully settling in.

“My parents disowned me”

He said abruptly, like it was something that spilled against his will, that he had tried to keep in so much it had became like a ticking bomb inside of him, waiting to explode. Jisung’s eyes widened in surprise, though the more he thought about their day, the more things seemed to fall into place.

Minho took a deep breath, his eyes watering, hollow.

“They’ve always been awful actually, very controlling. Since I was born, they had my life set out for me, my education, even the curriculars I should have taken, the company I would’ve worked at, taking over after my father. I never had a choice as long as I stayed under their roof and I didn’t have any freedom unless I sneaked out in the middle of the night or I closed myself in the room you saw, I fought so much to have it built and I painted it myself, but even then I had very little privacy, which was hard… especially because they are conservative and really strict”

Jisung opened his mouth, but Minho preceded his questions.

“Yes, that is code for extremely homophobic”

Jisung kept caressing him reassuringly, now enveloping his other arm around his middle.

“So I already knew that when I had told them they would have kicked me out and stop talking to me, maybe even beat me up, that wouldn’t have surprised me. Well, when I came out they just stared blankly at me and my father said he was sorry he had spent so much on me and that I should change my name because I’m not worthy of being a Lee”

Jisung felt anger burn in his chest, making his blood boil. He was so furious that people like that could become parents, that Minho of all people had to go through that, but he kept his mouth shut, figuring this wouldn’t have helped him.

“When did this happen?”

Minho bit his lip in something akin to shame.

“Two days ago”

Jisung blinked in shock and pulled away just enough to look at him.

“Fuck are you serious?”

Minho sighed and sunk a little more against him.

“I know it’s late to still be living with my parents but it was a clause so they’d pay for my studies and I’m a coward so I waited until-“

Jisung cut him off, strangling him in a bone crushing hug.

“Stop that, it’s not true, you’re so brave for doing what you have and you don’t have to excuse yourself to me, ok? Not in the slightest, I’m a dumbass who’s biggest challenge is choosing between a packet of tortilla or regular chips at a 3 am supermarket run, I’d never judge you for taking the time you needed to do something this big“

Minho didn’t reply but held him tighter and he could feel his deep quiet sobs against his shoulder. He let him stay there, until Minho winced a bit because he had touched his fresh tattoo and they changed position, laying on the tablecloth, Minho with his tummy on the ground and his head on Jisung’s chest, who laid supine.

“Thank you, Sung”

“You have nothing to thank me for, I’m just telling the truth”

Minho brushed his hands roughly on his face to clean his tear stained cheeks and Jisung kept combing a hand through his hair.

“Where have you been staying?”

“At a friend’s, but I’ve left most of my stuff at my parents house, or well, abandoned I guess, I don’t think I’ll be going back, ever”

Jisung nodded to his suitcase.

“That’s your necessities?”

“No, these are my Freddie Mercury posters”

Minho joked and Jisung laughed, despite feeling like he wanted to smack him for swaying the conversation.

“They are, but I wasn’t joking about the poster”

Jisung smiled as he felt Minho detach himself to shift his face closer to his, laying on his side. Jisung closed his eyes, feeling peaceful inside, but the quiet was disrupted by Minho dropping a rolled piece of paper on him.

“What’s this?”

Minho huffed and tapped gently on his eyelids.

“Come on lazy, I’m bearing my heart out to you, the least you could do is read it”

Jisung grinned at his joking tone and peeked to take the paper in his hands and bring it closer to see. His eyes widened after he read the first words.

“Is this your bucket list?”

Minho chuckled at his excitement. 

“Some things I didn’t get to cross out, but I’m still pretty satisfied with it”

Jisung smiled as he read his elegant hurried calligraphy

**Once in a lifetime**

**1.ask someone out**

**2\. see flea market**

**3.visit shelter**

**4.learn nana’s recipes**

**5.say bye to Soonie, Doongie, dori**

**6\. see a drag show**

**7.get a tattoo**

**8.trash dad’s porsche**

**9.play rainbow fest at the fair**

**10.get over my fears**

**11.go to a pride parade**

**12.picnic**

**13.stargazing**

**14.get a boyfriend**

“I would’ve happily done number 8, if you had asked me”

Minho cackled and took back the parchment.

“I figured that you were crazy enough to do it, but when we were actually at my parents house I wasn’t even angry anymore, just sad”

“I see, they deserved it, though”

Minho nodded resigned.

“Most of the things on the list are things they explicitly told me not to do or kept me physically from doing, so it still feels like a big fuck you to them anyway”

Jisung smirked tilting his head toward him.

“Even getting a boyfriend?”

Minho rolled his eyes.

“Of course that’s what you would comment on, you cheesy mother fucker”

Jisung chuckled.

“I just wouldn’t have expected you to be completely inexperienced”

“Oh, no, trust me I’m no virgin”

Jisung almost choked at his bluntness which made Minho laugh and coo at him before he could explain in detail.

“One night stands are easier to hide than relationships, they’re less time spending and I didn’t want to bring anyone in the mess that was my life”

Jisung looked at him fondly.

“But now you have time”

Minho’s expression turned gloomier and his gaze wondered off to a random spot in the darkness.

“All day I’ve been thinking that I wished I had met you earlier, but now I wonder if maybe it was really fate that we’d encounter each other today, if the red string has always existed, but it finally brought us together now of all moments because it was the right time”

Jisung looked at him stunned, but he couldn’t help agreeing to every word. He felt connected to him in ways he had never felt with anyone and it was scary, but he didn’t want it to stop. Luckily he wasn’t the only one.

“But it’s so unfair”

Minho mumbled before Jisung could utter a word, hiding his head in the crook of his neck. Jisung furrowed his brows in confusion.

“Wait, why is it unfair?”

Minho sighed and got on his elbows to look at him in the eyes.

“I’m leaving tomorrow”

Jisung gaped and he suddenly felt a deep hurt clutching his chest.

“You’re- wait where are you going?”

Minho rubbed his finger on his features, smoothing out his wrinkles of worry. 

“I knew that I would need to be away for a while after telling my parents, so I enlisted”

“Oh”

Was all Jisung could muster in the mess that had become the swirling thoughts in his brain. How could he have been so delusional? How could he have been charmed that easily and how could he have believed Minho would feel the same as him? 

“I’ll be away for about a year, maybe more”

Jisung got up suddenly, brushing Minho off of him, rapidly scanning the area for his shoes.

“Yeah, of course, it’s not like I wanted to see you again after today anyway”

He said, though his voice didn’t sound convincing one bit. Minho put a hand on his shoulder, stopping his anxiety induced state.

“Jisung”

He turned towards him and he almost regretted it because his eyes were shining so brightly under the stars, sparkling so much even Selene, the moon would be jealous of it. Minho shifted his hand under his chin and closed his eyes leaning in gently. Their lips met halfway and Jisung would have thought their kiss would have been needy and passionate because of the tension that had been building up the whole day, but it wasn’t like he had imagined, it was soft, it was sweet and for some reasons it made him feel loved, it sent shivers up his spine. When they parted, he immediately turned around all the way and almost jumped Minho, straddling him and going down for more. This time the kiss was rougher and Minho bit his lip lightly before pushing his tongue into his mouth, Jisung immediately giving away entirely to the feeling and intertwining his own as well. He wanted the taste to linger, he wanted to get deeper and deeper until they could become one, until he could absorb his pian and endure it for him, until he could feel like he had left a mark on him like he had left on him, until he couldn’t breath and he felt only the burning want inside him grew in a never ending flame.

They pulled apart to breath and Minho rubbed his nose softly against his, affectionately. Jisung felt over the moon, but also like he was falling into a dark abyss. He looked at Minho’s face glowing in the moonlight and he traced his features gently, as if he was making an effort to remember every detail of him, then he sighed and rolled on his back, laying supine on the tablecloth, beside him.

“Why did you ask me to come with you if you’re leaving so soon?”

Minho had had his eyes closed, but he opened them and tilted his head to speak.

“I didn’t expect this to happen, I didn’t expect.. you”

Jisung shifted a bit towards him.

“Told you I’m special”

Minho chuckled and then smiled brightly.

“You are”

He took his hand and pressed a kiss on his palm.

“I was supposed to be alone today, my friend offered to come with me, but I didn’t want him to because he already did so much for me, letting me crash at his place, giving me the courage to be who I am. I wanted to be alone to experience, but then I saw you at that cafe and I just had to talk to you”

Jisung’s lips tugged upwards in a cocky smile.

“So I attracted you with my amazing visuals, huh?”

Minho groaned and shoot away his hand.

“At first I thought I just kinda wanted someone to distract me-”

“And you had to cross number 1”

Jisung chided in, to which Minho frowned.

“Yeah, but I chickened out, also I didn’t even know if you were gay”

Jisung looked offended.

“My jeans are cuffed!”

Minho laughed.

“What does that mean?”

“And I have a chain!”

“I’m still lost, is that some kind of code?”

Jisung facepalmed hard.

“You don’t know anything about bi people tells, I have a lot to teach you”

Minho smiled sweetly.

“Ok, so you’re bi?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t dated girls in a while because my kind of astrologist friend said that my soulmate would be a guy”

Minho snickered and pressed a peck on lips.

“There’s so much I want to comment on in that phrase”

“The floor is yours”

Jisung murmured as he adjusted himself to snuggle on his chest.

“Well first of all, what the fuck? Secondly, do you really believe in that stuff?”

“I mean, kind of, I like to imagine that in the world there’s someone out there who’s made for me, it makes me feel less lonely, I guess. Also I haven’t dated anyone in a while actually”

He stretched his hand to hold his and Minho tangled them together as he giggled.

“I meant the astrology part”

“Oh”

Jisung looked up at the sky to avoid the mocking look he was sure was on the other’s face.

“I see what you mean, about soulmates, sometimes I wonder if anyone will- could ever love me”

“Of course you Min, you deserve nothing less”

Jisung looked at him with honesty to convey his message, then he shifted his gaze again and they stayed like that for a while before Jisung spoke again.

“Wait, you don’t think that us spending 15 hours uninterrupted together counts as a date?”

Minho laughed.

“You seemed pretty opposed to it this morning”

Jisung rolled his eyes.

“Ya! I barely knew your name”

“And how much do you actually know now?”

Jisung looked at him intensely.

“Enough that I want to always remember today, to always remember you”

He lifted his arm showing the tattoo. Minho took it in his hands and held it to his chest, shaking his head.

“You’ll forget me soon enough, you’ve said so yourself, you have a busy life, you probably wouldn’t have the time to miss me. But I won’t, in fact I think that the memory of today will be the only thing keeping me sane while I’ll be in the force”

Jisung lifted himself to look at him better.

“You should have a little more faith, you’ll be back in a year, so what? I can wait for you”

Minho looked at him disapprovingly.

“Jisung I would never ask you that”

“But you don’t have to”

He whined. Minho chuckled and pressed a chaste kiss on his lips. 

“Let’s make a pact then, ok?”

Jisung nodded, completely bewitched by the other’s stare on him.

“You have to go on with your life, study, write, go out with other people, ok? Like you would’ve if we didn’t meet”

Jisung pouted and opened his mouth to retort but Minho shushed him.

“But if you’re still single, or interested when I come back, we’ll go on another date and see where that takes us”

Jisung sighed and buried his head in the crook of his neck.

“You really think I’ll find someone after you raised my standards so high? “

Minho laughed and took his head in his hands to lift it.

“I hope you don’t, but I want you to be happy and to be free and I want to be too”

Jisung nodded, understanding that really was what was best from him now.

“I agree, but on one condition”

He said sternly and Minho perked up, interested.

“You’ll write to me”

“Huh?”

“I’m going to write you some refined bucolic carefully crafted poetic letters and you’ll answer me with hermetic summaries of your boring day in the force, assuming your writing is as dry as your conversational skills”

Minho chuckled, getting all giddy and completely glossing over the part where he called him dry.

“You want to write me a love letter?”

Jisung hummed, content with the reaction he got.

“Several actually, but it’ll depend on how many creative crisis I’ll have when I’m writing. My friends are probably going to hate you before they’ll even meet you because I’ll rant so much about being unable to put what I feel into words they’ll damn the day I met you”

Minho smiled widely.

“You’re so dramatic, but I accept and I’ll try to write something worthy”

Jisung linked their pinkies suddenly.

“Ok, now it’s official, if I don’t get an address by the end of the week the higher entity that guards all pinky promises will give you terrible diarrhea”

Minho cackled rolling on the grass. 

“That was a very summer camp thing to say, I bet you thrived in those places”

“Damn right I did”

Minho took one of the sweets and took a bite, then passing it to Jisung. He bit it too, then looked at him like a lightbulb had lit in his brain. 

“I can help you cross something else off the list”

Minho looked at him unconvinced.

“Are you going to take me to a drag show at 2 am on a Wednesday? Or well, Thursday by now”

Jisung grinned and shook his head.

“Will you be my boyfriend?”

Minho looked at him wide-eyed, clearly taken a back.

“Jisung we just said-“

“I meant for the night, until you leave”

He still looked at him in disbelief, but he nodded shyly before enveloping his arms around his waist and resting his forehead against his. 

“What does a boyfriend do?”

Jisung grinned and snuggled against him.

“I’m not that much of an expert, but I think he should compliment you, buy you flowers, cook for you, make you coffee in the morning, listen to you and so on. He should make you feel loved, but of course different people view love in different ways, so it’s not a universal science”

Minho hummed with his eyes closed.

“And what do you think about it?”

“I don’t really know, actually, I’ve never been in love, but right now you’re doing a good job”

Minho chuckled doing a v sign to mess with him. Jisung rolled his eyes, but didn’t give into his teasing.

“What about you? How do I make you feel loved?”

Minho’s smile fell and Jisung felt the shift and turned around to face him. He cupped his cheeks, worriedly.

“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?”

Minho looked down, then he shook his head slowly.

“No, it’s just- I think you’re the first one who’s thought about it, no one ever cared enough to do it”

His voice was hoarse, like he was trying not to cry and Jisung felt his heart tug in pain. He combed a hand through his hair and pulled his face closer to leave a soft kiss on his forehead.

“Then I guess I have my work cut out for me”

Minho smiled brighter than the sun, even though his eyes were watering and he held him closer. Jisung pursed his lips in a silly face and got really close to him, making Minho laugh, he responded with a face just as weird, crossing his eyes to make him look crazy and Jisung furrowed his forehead to up the ante, Minho retracted his neck in a double chin though, making Jisung cackle and roll on his side.

“You win, I give up, I can’t beat that”

“You never had a chance, because I’m great at making ugly faces”

Jisung giggled staring at the sky.

“Good to know”

They’ve stayed up talking, drinking and trying to figure out the stars and constellations before them until sunrise. After all, sleep deprivation had nothing against two determined boys running against time. It seemed like it had been only a few minutes when Minho’s alarm ringed, waking them up from their groggy koala state, as during the night they had created their own little cocoon holding onto each other to share warmth and the feeling of euphoria buzzing in their veins.

They put the empty tupperwares in the basket and folded the tablecloth, playing push and pull until Jisung fell on his ass again. Their hands found each other naturally as they took the bus back to the city center and Minho brought him at his friend’s place. Outside the apartment, Minho made them halt, just as he was turning the key in the door.

“We have to be quiet not to wake Chan up”

Jisung nodded and took off his shoes as they entered the flat. They didn’t even take one step though, before they heard someone clearing his throat and saw a buff guy looking at them with his hands on his waist and an arched eyebrow, who clearly had been waiting for them.

“Hey”

Minho deadpanned, not budging under the other reprimanding gaze. 

“Where the fuck have you been all night?! You told me you had some errands to do, not that you would disappear like that!”

Minho winced at his tone and held his hands up as an excuse. 

“I know Channie, I’m sorry, I just didn’t want to burden you yesterday too and then I lost track of time and I forgot to text yo-“

He was cut off by Chan enveloping him in a bearhug.

“Shush, I’m just happy you’re ok, never make me worry like that again”

He pulled away with his hands on his shoulder, looking at him sternly to get the point across. Minho sighed and nodded.

“Yes dad”

Chan just then seemed to notice Jisung, who had been awkwardly standing to the side to leave them a bit of privacy. He eyed him skeptically, then turned to Minho.

“And who’s this?”

“My boyfriend”

Minho smiled smugly, sending Jisung a wink to which he grinned, stepping a bit closer to them.

Chan’s eyes were blown wide and he kept staring at the two, switching from one to the other.

“What?! How?! When?!”

Jisung stopped his staring contest with Minho and stretched a hand, showing Chan a genuine smile.

“I’m Jisung and I think you won’t be seeing me around”

Minho snorted at that and playfully hit Jisung’s shoulder for his bad attempt at humour.

Chan looked puzzled for a second, then sighed in understanding.

“Oh god, you’ve found someone as weird as you, this day only brings bad news”

Minho laughed and patted Chan’s shoulder.

“I’d explain to you, but I really have to finish packing and I have to be at the airport in two hours”

Chan nodded and moved to the side to leave the way to the corridor empty.

“I understand, but you better give me a proper goodbye before you leave or I won’t send you that god awful mint flavored candy you like so much”

Minho smiled and hugged him briefly.

“We both know you’ll do it anyway”

Then he took Jisung’s hand and pulled him to the spare bedroom he was crashing in, leaving a grumbling Chan behind.

“Sorry about Channie, he can be kind of overbearing sometimes, he has taken me under his wing as if I was a stray”

Jisung looked at him sideways.

“You call that overbearing? If my friend had disappeared on me like that I would have already broke hell loose to find him and then I would have pinched him so hard after seeing he was alive and well he’d never dare to do it again”

Minho wiggled his eyebrows.

“Damn, you’re intense”

“Some people call it dramatic, but I just thinks it adds to the character”

Minho giggled and enveloped hi arm around his middle to peck his lips quickly.

“It just shows you care, I like that about you, that you put what you feel into actions”

Jisung blushed a little and jokingly shoved him towards the wardrobe.

“Come on, didn’t you have packing to do?”

Minho sighed and actually got to work, Jisung folding the clothes better as he took them out of the drawers in a chain reaction, They fought a bit about wether he was stacking them correctly in the suitcase and he made Jisung sit on it as he zipped it close, because, of course he had had to put his fluffy bunny onesie in there and that took up too much space for it to close easily.

Minho stepped out of the room and went to Chan, hugging him for a long time, but silently. Jisung felt himself smile, thinking that if anything Minho had a good friend like him in his life, observing almost in awe at their deep but quiet bond.

When they pulled apart, Chan waved at him and Jisung smiled back. They put their shoes back on and took the train to the airport. They found the check-in and stopped in the corridor before it. 

“When is your flight leaving?”

Minho lifted his hand to look at his watch, only realizing later that it was still on Jisung’s wrist. He smiled as he took his arm in his hands and pulled his sleeve ups to check the time.

“Forty minutes”

Jisung sighed and tried to unhook the straps of the watch.

“That’s so little, y-you should-“

Minho put his fingers on his and made him stop.

“Sungie, look at me”

He did, feeling the tears creep at the corner of his eyes

“I’m sorry I can’t even take this stupid thing off”

Minho shook his head and brushed his thumb on the back of his hand reassuringly.

“You can keep it if you want”

Sungie looked up at him, confused.

“But you said it was your most prized possession”

Minho grinned with complicity.

“That just means you’ll have to give it back to me when we’ll meet again”

Jisung closed his eyes as he felt a stray tear spilling over.

“Is it weird that I think I’ll miss you?”

“Only if you make it weird”

Jisung chuckled at his poor attempt at keeping the conversation light and left all his restraint as he hugged Minho tight to him, as if that could stop him from slipping away from him, as if that would have made him stay. Minho held him just as desperately and soon their lips found each other again in a kiss that was the opposite of perfect, that had a salty taste to it due to both of them crying by then. They pulled apart and Minho rested his forehead on his, breathing heavily.

“Do you know the flower language?”

Jisung stayed still against him, savoring the moment.

“Should I?”

Minho chuckled against his lips, before inhaling deeply.

“The flower we tattooed is an anemone, do you know any of its meanings?”

Jisung shook his head softly and Minho leaned closer to whisper in his ear.

“I’ll tell you one: anticipation”

Reluctantly, Minho took the handle of his suitcase and took a few steps behind, without turning his back on Jisung, who was looking at him starstruck, half dazed by what had just happened and half not fully realizing they were about to part after having spent what felt like an eternity together, but that also seemed so short now in comparison to how much time it would have passed before they should see each other again.

Minho opened his mouth to say something but Jisung cut him off before he could.

“Don’t say good bye, please I don’t want to see you leave”

Minho’s lips curled into a nostalgic smile and he gave a little nod as he stepped again towards him and grasped his hands.

“Close your eyes Jisungie”

He complied, shaking little in his hold. He felt a soft peck on his lips, a featherlike kiss that made butterflies soar in his chest.

“I’ll miss you too”

He heard, before the warmth of Minho’s body against his disappeared and he heard the steps and the sound of the doors sliding apart and back together. Jisung squeezed his eyes tighter and gripped his t-shirt with his hand, trying hard not to cry. When he opened them again, Minho was gone, like he had never been anything but a dream. He felt empty now and very stupid to have fallen so hard, but also ecstatic every time he felt the fresh tattoo burn a bit as it brushed against the insides of his sleeve, reminding him that the day before had been very real.

Jisung finally gained his bearings and made his way back to his apartment, it was a really nice morning, he thought, one he probably would never forget.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe that this simple fic turned out so long... well, I hope you enjoyed it and if you did please leave a comment! I might write a sequel to this (mainly because I really want to write 00 liners teasing Jisung about his mystery man ahaha).
> 
> This was inspired by many of the Beatles' song ( the title first and foremost, the fool on the hill, I saw her standing there, I want to hold your hand, let it be and other 70s/80s rock song).
> 
> Also I apologize for any Korean culture inaccuracies that are surely there 🙈
> 
> Thank you for reading and have a good day!


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